Paul Newell is not only extremely likable, he’s a real community leader with head and heart who has spent a lifetime helping people in need. Paul’s grasp of public policy and the legislative process — at the granular level — was and is the most impressive of all the candidates in this past primary.

But this was no blowout. The “winning” candidate received less than one-third of the vote in what was still a pathetic turnout; meaning that most participating primary voters chose one of five other candidates. This is another argument for ranked-choice voting or the introduction of some form of proportional representation.

Still, as District Leader Newell said about the winner in his gracious congratulatory speech to her, we hope this election augers a new progressive direction for our diverse district, and for Albany, with corruption in the public sphere a thing of the past.

I respect Sean Sweeney’s work in the community, and while I will continue to call him a friend, he has no right to claim Lee Berman as a Downtown Independent Democrats victory. A select few in the club blocked an endorsement meeting from being held. They were successful. Had a meeting taken place, it is almost certain Berman would not have won the club’s support.

New York City Football Club and Major League Soccer are still looking for a home. Just sayin.’

Going anywhere down the road with residential/commercial development at this spot has always been a road to nowhere. The interests of the community are in no way the developers’ priority.

First the Hudson River Park Trust claimed lower valuation of the air rights; now it’s a complete 180 turn away from air rights and residential.

The so-called defenders of the Village need to allow something new. Let the Village breathe already, let the Village do something new.

Repeal the air-rights transfer amendment now, and add an arena amendment. Now. It’s up to Deborah Glick, not the city. State government created this Trust, and they and Glick have to solve this problem.

Save your pier, people. They’re not going to do it for you.

Patrick Shields

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